The Art of Teaching Speaking

by Folse, Keith S.

• ISBN13: 9780472031658
• ISBN10: 0472031651
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-04-06
• Publisher: Univ of Michigan Pr

Summary

*What elements make a speaking activity successful? *Which tasks or activities really help build speaking fluency? *What does the research show regarding speaking activities? *What mistakes do ESL teachers often make in speaking activity design? In this highly accessible and practical resource, Keith S. Folse provides a wealth of information to help ESL/EFL teachers design and use speaking tasks that will actually improve students' speaking fluency. The book presents and discusses the relevant research and assessment issues and includes case studies from twenty different settings and classrooms around the world so that readers learn from others about the problems and successes of using various speaking activities. Teachers will find the chapters on Twenty Successful Activities and Ten Unsuccessful Activities particularly valuable. The successful activities are provided for classroom use and are reproducible. The book also contains five appendixes that explain what teachers need to know about vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar and how they affect the teaching of speaking. Samples of successful lesson plans and a list of resources useful for teaching speaking are also included. Keith S. Folse, Ph.D., is Coordinator, TESOL Programs, University of Central Florida (Orlando). He is the author ofVocabulary Myths(University of Michigan Press, 2004) and more than 35 second language textbooks, including texts on grammar, reading, speaking, listening, and writing.

Author Biography

Keith S. Folse is Coordinator, TESOL Programs, University of Central Florida (Orlando).

Table of Contents

Introduction: An Overview of Teaching Second Language Conversation	1	(2)
Conversation Class from the Learner's Point of View	3	(2)
Which Name? Conversation or Discussion or Oral Fluency or Speaking?	5	(1)
Conversation Class from the Teacher's Point of View	5	(2)
The Organization of This Book	7	(2)
Five Fundamental Factors in Planning and Teaching a Conversation Class	9	(20)
Factor 1: The Learner, Especially the Learner's Age, Proficiency Level, and Goals	11	(4)
In the Real World	12	(2)
Discussion and Practical Application for Your Teaching	14	(1)
Factor 2: The Curriculum, Program, or School	15	(4)
In the Real World	15	(3)
Discussion and Practical Application for Your Teaching	18	(1)
Factor 3: The Topic Being Discussed	19	(3)
In the Real World	20	(1)
Discussion and Practical Application for Your Teaching	21	(1)
Factor 4: The Two ``Languages''--In the Task versus FOR the Task	22	(4)
In the Real World	25	(1)
Discussion and Practical Application for Your Teaching	26	(1)
Factor 5: The Task that Serves as the Vehicle for Conversation	26	(3)
In the Real World	27	(1)
Discussion and Practical Application for Your Teaching	28	(1)
Research on the Teaching of Conversation	29	(29)
Key Terms in Research on Second Language Speaking	30	(15)
Fluency versus Accuracy	30	(2)
Interlanguage	32	(2)
Comprehensible Input	34	(6)
Negotiation of Meaning	40	(2)
Pushed Output	42	(3)
Moving from General Topic to Specific Task	45	(2)
Designing an Effective Task	47	(4)
The Flow of Information: One-Way versus Two-Way Tasks	48	(1)
Stretching Interlanguage: Planned versus Unplanned Tasks	49	(1)
The Solution to the Task: Open versus Closed Tasks	50	(1)
Examples of Effective Speaking Activities	51	(2)
Annotated Bibliography of Selected Works	53	(5)
What Does a Conversation Class Look Like?	58	(52)
Case #1 Teaching Conversation in Chile Adults; Language School	61	(2)
Case #2 Conversation Class in Portugal Adults; Private Language School	63	(3)
Case #3 Teaching Speaking in the United Arab Emirates Adults; Colleges	66	(3)
Case #4 Teaching English in Mexico and China Adults; University	69	(2)
Case #5 Teaching Conversation in Canada Adults; Adult Education; College	71	(2)
Case #6 Teaching Conversation in Qatar Adults; Bridge Program	73	(2)
Case #7 Teaching Conversation in Japan Adults; University	75	(3)
Case #8 Teaching Conversation in Vietnam Adults; University	78	(3)
Case #9 Teaching Conversation in Brazil Adults; Language Schools	81	(2)
Case #10 Teaching Speaking and Listening to Teachers in China Adults; Teacher Training for Public and Private School Teachers	83	(3)
Case #11 Teaching Conversation to High-Intermediate Learners in the United States Adults; Intensive English Program	86	(2)
Case #12 Teaching Speaking to Low-Proficiency Learners in the United States Adult Education; College	88	(2)
Case #13 Teaching English Conversation in Japan Adults; Language School	90	(3)
Case #14 Teaching Conversation in Korea Children; Language School	93	(2)
Case #15 Teaching ESL in Canada Adults; Community College	95	(2)
Case #16 Teaching Conversation in Japan Young Adults; University	97	(3)
Case #17 Teaching Conversation in Germany Adults; Business English in a Private School	100	(2)
Case #18 Teaching Conversation in China College; University	102	(2)
Case #19 Teaching University English Classes in Korea Adults; University	104	(2)
Case #20 A Year in the Life of an ESL Teacher on the Canadian Prairies Adults; Various Settings	106	(4)
Twenty Successful Activities	110	(75)
Activity 1. Find Someone Who	112	(3)
Activity 2. Find the Differences	115	(3)
Activity 3. Drawing a Picture	118	(4)
Activity 4. Information Gap: Simple Completion	122	(4)
Activity 5. Information Gap: Group Problem Solving	126	(5)
Activity 6. Ranking	131	(3)
Activity 7. True or False?	134	(3)
Activity 8. Auction	137	(4)
Activity 9. If You Were the Judge (Real Court Cases)	141	(6)
Activity 10. Liar (Groups of Four)	147	(4)
Activity 11. Pair Talking (Minimal Pairs and Difficult Sounds)	151	(4)
Activity 12. Communication Crossword Puzzles	155	(4)
Activity 13. Twenty Questions	159	(3)
Activity 14. Solve the Mystery: Finish the Story	162	(3)
Activity 15. Role Play (Pairs)	165	(3)
Activity 16. Flexible Odd-Person Out (Groups of Three)	168	(3)
Activity 17. English Language Question Task Cards	171	(4)
Activity 18. Battle: Find It First	175	(3)
Activity 19. Tell It Three Times: 3-2-1	178	(3)
Activity 20. Strip Story	181	(4)
Ten Unsuccessful Activities	185	(22)
Unsuccessful Activity 1. Presenting a Discussion Topic without Any Tasks	187	(3)
Unsuccessful Activity 2. Using a Task Inappropriate for Students' Age	190	(2)
Unsuccessful Activity 3. Using a Task Unsuitable for Students' Proficiency	192	(3)
Unsuccessful Activity 4. Using Discussion Prompts that Can't Generate Discussion	195	(2)
Unsuccessful Activity 5. Using a One-Way Task	197	(1)
Unsuccessful Activity 6. Using a Problem-Solving Task with a Difficult Solution	198	(2)
Unsuccessful Activity 7. Using a Task with Overly Complicated Instructions	200	(1)
Unsuccessful Activity 8. Pretending that Checking Answers Is the Same as Discussing	201	(2)
Unsuccessful Activity 9. Choosing an Inappropriate Topic for the Students	203	(2)
Unsuccessful Activity 10. Using Videos Incorrectly as a Speaking Task	205	(2)
Assessing Speaking	207	(21)
Revisiting Students' Speaking Needs	208	(1)
Three Stages of Speaking Assessment	209	(4)
Pre-Instruction	209	(1)
During Instruction	210	(1)
Post-Instruction	211	(2)
Formal Assessment	213	(13)
Achieving Assessment	213	(5)
Direct versus Indirect Assessment	218	(2)
Scoring	220	(3)
Proficiency Assessment	223	(3)
Summary	226	(2)
Appendix A: Ten Things You Should Know about Teaching ESL/EFL Vocabulary	228	(7)
Appendix B: Twelve Things You Should Know about Teaching ESL/EFL Pronunciation	235	(10)
Appendix C: The Role of Grammar in Teaching ESL/EFL Speaking	245	(7)
Appendix D: Samples of Successful Lesson Plans	252	(14)
Example Lesson Plan 1	255	(4)
Example Lesson Plan 2	259	(4)
Example Lesson Plan 3	263	(3)
Appendix E: List of Classroom Materials and Websites	266	(9)
Conversation Textbooks and Resources for Teaching Conversation	267	(5)
Websites	272	(3)
References	275	(6)
Index	281